William N. Drohan

DROHAN , William N.
William N. Drohan died peacefully at his home in Germantown, MD, on Sunday, March 25, following a four-year battle with metastatic lung cancer. Dr. Drohan, formerly of Springfield, Virginia, and Santa Monica, California, was 60. He was a well-known microbiologist and educator who will be remembered for many contributions to science, especially his commitment to improving blood safety, his pioneering work in the use of transgenic proteins in hemophilia and other blood-related disorders, important contributions made in investigating mad cow disease in the blood supply, and his development of novel ways to treat traumatic injuries including bandages to stem hemorrhage. He received a B.A. degree in Bacteriology from UCLA and a Ph.D. in Medical Microbiology and Immunology from the UCLA School of Medicine.
Dr. Drohan was equally dedicated to scientific research and to mentoring students and young scientists. His career included important positions with the National Cancer Institute, the American Red Cross, and private companies dedicated to treating bloodborne disorders, most recently as Chief Scientific Officer of STB, Ltd., as well as Chief Scientific Officer at Inspiration Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., and previously Chief Scientific Officer of Clearant, Inc. He also served as Professor in the Graduate Program of the Department of Genetics at George Washington University and formerly as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at the University of Maryland. Dr. Drohan published more than 145 scientific papers and holds 30 U.S. patents. He served on the editorial boards of several scientific journals, and was a member of the Scientific Steering Committee for Blood Products at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and Chairman on the Panel for Biotechnology at the National Research Council.
Bill is survived by his beloved wife, Marian, and their five children, Colleen (Ross), Maureen, Kathleen, Laura, and Craig; his brothers and sisters, Robert, Judy, Christina, Deborah, Brian, and Theresa; as well as numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. He leaves to them and his friends, colleagues, and students, a legacy of scientific achievement and inspirational leadership accompanied by an extraordinary level of kindness and generosity.
The Coalition for Hemophilia B has established a scholarship fund in Bill's name. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to The Dr. William N. Drohan Scholarship Fund, 225 West 34 Street - Suite 710, New York, NY 10122. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 14, at 1:00 p.m. at St. Paul's Catholic Church, 9240 Damascus Rd., Damascus, Maryland.